Interesting article in The New York Times about the political process. I know here in Cleveland we have been bantering on Brewed Fresh Daily due to a post by Jill on WLST. Her feature intrigued me, about an idea to revamp democratic politics.
So today I read an article in The Times written by the same Matt Bai who is trying to do the revamping. The article is about Biden, so of course I read it, but truly this paragraph struck me:
“….Mr. Biden’s supporters will tell you that this is all the media’s fault for not covering him more — much the same argument you hear from Bill Richardson and Christopher Dodd’s supporters, too. This has some validity, but personally, I think Mr. Biden is less a victim of the media itself than of the distinct political culture that we in the media have wrought. Ten years of endless blather about the game of politics on cable TV have trained the most engaged American voters to handicap candidates rather than hear them, to pontificate about who might win rather than deciding whom they actually want to win. Voters seem to approach politics increasingly as pundits, and they look to poll numbers to tell them who’s electable and who isn’t, never stopping to realize that they are the ones who get to decide….”
You can read the entire article here.The topic has been on my mind through the last oh, four presidential elections. I think there is a disconnect that occurs and I can’t quite put my finger on where it occurs. What do you think? This btw, crosses political party lines, in my opinion. Peace Out - 3C
5 responses so far ↓
1 moni // Dec 27, 2007 at 9:30 pm
I agree there is a big disconnect…here I am just weeks out from the New Hampshire primary and I have no idea who to vote for. Maybe I’ll just pencil in Jay McGillicuddy…
2 derek // Jan 6, 2008 at 11:40 pm
I fee the same way about Kucinich. He’s still in the race but ABC felt “No, you don’t matter enough.” Fox did the same thing with Ron Paul with their NH debate. If TV can just show the damn debates without trying to tell us how to vote, I would be relieved.
3 Carole Cohen // Jan 7, 2008 at 2:53 am
Moni, I am riveted on New Hampshire now and I guess you don’t have much longer to decide!
Derek we have had talking heads for so long now I can’t remember exactly when it started. I would be relieved too. I think I could go on for the rest of my life and never see Wolf Blitzer again and be just fine.
4 Elaine Reese // Jan 7, 2008 at 7:16 pm
I don’t care for the way the candidates are selected. Too many get cast off prior to more people having a say in who stays or who goes.
I’d prefer every state votes on the same day as to who get to run for each side.
5 Carole Cohen // Jan 7, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I don’t like that they moved the caucuses and primaries around like a chess game Elaine. Your idea has some merit although it doesn’t create any buzz lol. What would the candidates do without buzz???
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